Houthi Rebels Launch Missile Strikes Against Saudi Arabia Amid Blockades

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a series of missile and drone strikes against Saudi Arabia, hitting an air force base in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

This follows their previous attack on a Saudi oil pipeline, which has been suspended due to the damage. The pipeline was used to transport up to 7 million barrels of crude oil per day to the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthi rebels claim they have carried out a 'large-scale, precise military operation' targeting Saudi facilities, and that their actions are in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on Yemen.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is also dire, with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming that a Panama-flagged tanker struck a sea mine and exploded after ignoring warnings to stay out of a restricted zone. The Revolutionary Guard has released a new list expanding sanctions on 77 vessels for violating navigation regulations.